Synopsis
Ozu's only documentary was commissioned by the
Japan Cultural Association to promote indigenous
culture abroad. Kagamijishi is a lion dance in
kabuki, about a court dancer who becomes possessed
by a lion mask, and transforms from coy young
maid to a fierce being with flowing mane. Shot
in two parts, the dancing scenes were filmed in
June 1935 using synch sound by the Tsuchihashi
system. The silent, second part, shot in May 1936,
takes place in the dressing room and shows the
celebrated leading man Onoe Kikugoro IV reciting
a poem. At the preview, guests commented on the
unnatural expressions of the dancer and the authorities
decided to withdraw the film.

Thoughts from OzuEven when Onoe Kikugoro IV is still and motionless,
we can still sense his femininity. Even when his
back is turned to the audience, all he has to
do is spread his legs a little, and twist his
buttocks slightly, and he would look every inch
the woman.

Background
The dancing scenes were shot in June, 1935. The
scene in the dressing room was shot in May, 1936.
The Association for the Promotion of International
Culture (Kokusai Bunka Shinko-kai), founded in
1934, planned to film outstanding performances
of Japanese culture and to present them abroad.
Shochiku was requested to do a documentary about
the lion dance 'Kagamijishi' of the actor Kikugoro
Onoe. Originally, this dance lasts more than one
hour, but considering that this film was to be
presented to foreigners, the stage parts were
condensed to about 20 minutes. Previously, Ozu
had admired the art of Kikugoro. Fortunately,
the actor Hiroshi Tojo of the Kamata studio was
a relative of Kikugoro. Therefore, Ozu visited
Kikugoro for the first time in June of 1934. They
met quite often afterwards. Consequently, when
Shochiku received the request to make a film,
the director Ozu was asked to do this documentary.
The filming of the stage part started on June
26, 1935, late at night (actually, it already
was June 27) and lasted until the morning. Ozu's
crew was busy with An Inn in Tokyo, but
the shooting was interrupted to make this film.
Two talkie cameras and one silent camera were
used. The recording was made using the Tsuchihashi
Sound System, since the result of Mohara's studies
could not be waited for. (By the way, the recording
of Ozu's three sound film was always made by the
Tsuchihashi Sound System.) However, technical
limits in the synchronous sound recording of that
time and the restrictions caused by the leadership
of the Kabuki people resulted in Ozu not being
satisfied with the cinematic structure of these
scenes. However, Ozu's style appears clearly in
the scenes outside the stage that were shot later.
After the completion, a preview of this film was
held at the Imperial Hotel on June 29, 1936. The
guests pointed out the unnatural expressions of
the actor playing a woman's part, because it became
evident through the lens. Troubles arose around
the policy of not releasing the film in Japan
and the problem of sending it abroad or not. The
fact that Ozu had directed this documentary was
almost not considered in these discussions. The
intelligentsia of that time and the cultural elite
regarded cinema as not important enough to talk
about. In fact, cinema was not accepted as art.